Matteo Renzi – “I fought to keep Greece in the euro”

"Good evening, I'm Mateo": it is unusual for a former prime minister to introduce himself to you with his given name. But 46-year-old Matteo Renzi (in addition to the well-known Mediterranean relaxed demeanor) has this comfort of a person who managed to reach the top very young. Mayor of Florence between 2009 and 2014, leader of the Democratic Party (PD) between 2013 and 2018, Prime Minister of Italy from 2014-2016, is now the leader, since 2019, of a small party, Viva Italia, but still honors his old nickname "Rottamatore", the "Roller": he pulled the rug under the feet of the Conte 2 government in January, he paved the way for Mario Draghi to take over the Italian presidency, head of a government in which all parties participated except for the neo-fascist Brothers of Italy.

We met him in Athens, in the lobby of the InterContinental Athenaeum Hotel, when he had come to attend the Economist conference on demographic challenges and gender equality policies, but he had one eye on his homeland, and as soon as the results of the second round of Italian municipal elections were announced he said he was a happy Matteo Renzi. "Very happy", and "for the victory of the reformers in practically every city", and "for the death, in my opinion, of the Five Star Movement", and "for the defeat of the populists and nationalists of the Far Right". "The only major victories of the right-wing alliance came from Berlusconi's Forza Italia," he said, "its most European party. Salvini and Meloni fought each other and both lost. Very good news ". Of course, he is careful not to draw national conclusions, he points out that only 45% voted, and in the national elections, which are normally expected in 2023, the turnout will rise to 70%, "but we will see. "Today is good!" He also...